


Lilies of the Valley // White

by diaryofageekgirl



Series: Femslash February 2020: A Rainbow Bouquet [7]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Avalon - Freeform, Collage, Cover Art, Dancing, F/F, Fae & Fairies, Fairy Tale Elements, Femslash February, Seelie Court
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22885780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diaryofageekgirl/pseuds/diaryofageekgirl
Summary: Charlie attends the Golden Ball of the Seelie Court as Gilda's plus-one.
Relationships: Charlie Bradbury/Gilda
Series: Femslash February 2020: A Rainbow Bouquet [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621381
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Lilies of the Valley // White

**Author's Note:**

> Set shortly after 8x11, "LARP and the Real Girl".

* * *

Charlie spun around, watching the folds of her dress swirl in the mirror.

If someone had told her only a few weeks ago that she would rescue a faerie from being enslaved by an obsessive LARPer, then started dating that same faerie, she would have enjoyed the fantasy, but laughed it off in their face.

If they had told her she would end up visiting Avalon, the land of the fae, to attend a fairy ball as the consort of said faerie, she’d ask how much Longbottom Leaf they’d been smoking (and maybe ask if she could get some too).

As it is, she’s in Avalon, the land of the fae, getting ready to attend the annual Golden Ball of the Seelie Court, as the consort and girlfriend of Gilda of the Hollow Forest of Arkhmoor. She was currently in Gilda’s home in Arkhmoor, a beautiful and cozy home that reminded Charlie of a hobbit hole. She wondered whether Tolkien had met any fairies – maybe he had included some truth alongside the fantasy of Lord of the Rings? That would be so frakking cool!

As she mused, she smoothed down her gown. Gilda had brought it for her – made of emerald green silk and embroidered with vines, it was every bit the kind of gown one would expect a faerie to wear. The ensemble was finished with a complicated belt. Charlie had already fought with it for a while, before giving up and laying it out on a nearby chair, and instead entertained herself with playing with her skirts.

A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. The door eased open.

“Charlie, are you ready?” Gilda swept into the room as Charlie met her eyes in the mirror. She spun around to get a better look at her girlfriend.

She was absolutely stunning, her warm tanned skin striking against her pale lavender gown. Jeweled flowers decorated the bodice, and delicate vine and flower bracelets adorned her wrists. Her honey-brown hair tumbled around her shoulders, half in a cascade of loose curls, the other half done up in a complicated series of braids. Her antennae twitched slightly.

Charlie had been a little taken aback when they first stepped through the portal into Avalon. She knew, objectively, that Gilda was a faerie, and therefore not human, but it was one thing to intellectually understand that, and another entirely to see it firsthand.

Gilda had explained that parts of a faerie’s “true self” stayed hidden while they were on earth, so that they “could more easily walk amongst the mortal folk”. The wings, Charlie had been expecting – Gilda _was_ a faerie, and wings were the most consistent part of both the folklore and the children’s stories. They were a pale peach colour, shaped like those of a bee. She hadn’t expected the fuzzy, moth-like antennae, and _definitely_ hadn’t been prepared for her dark, glittering eyes to become even more dark and glittery; they were a brown so dark they were practically black, and multifaceted, also like a bee’s.

At the time, Charlie had kind of freaked out – not her best moment, for sure – but now, seeing those brilliant eyes watching her was incredibly flattering; she was being soaked up from every angle.

Gilda clicked her tongue at Charlie. “You could have just asked for help with the belt.” She picked it up off the chair, holding it up to Charlie’s waist. Charlie figured Gilda probably didn’t need to wrap herself fully around her in order to put it on, but she wasn’t going to complain about it, no sirree. Gilda finished, resting her hands on Charlie’s hips.

“Let me see you, beloved.” Charlie let herself be spun around, relishing in getting to show off for her girlfriend. Gilda stared at her lovingly, slowly sliding her hands up her sides, tracing her figure with both her hands and eyes.

Charlie grinned at her. “If you keep staring at me like that, then we’re not gonna make it to the ball.” Gilda smirked back at her.

“We can’t have that now, can we?” She turned away, grabbing something from a nearby shelf. “Not to worry, there’ll be plenty of time for that later.” Gilda faced her again, holding an elegant circlet of vines and flowers in her hands.

She reached up and gently placed the circlet on Charlie’s head, delicately brushing a lock of hair out of her face. Charlie noticed that the flowers on the circlet matched those on Gilda’s bracelets. She raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“They are lilies of the valley – my emblem. That you wear them mark you as mine, and any who meet with you, dance with you tonight, will know.” Charlie flushed scarlet, surprised by how happy that thought made her. Gilda cupped her face in her hands, planting a soft kiss on her lips.

“Let us go now, beloved, lest we be late.”

* * *

Charlie often thought of herself as a simple girl with simple tastes; as long as a story contained magic, or fantastical creatures, or aliens, or spaceships, she was content.

She hadn’t really expected her life to contain any of that – at least, not for real. But here she was, sitting behind Gilda, riding a chestnut paint unicorn (a frakking _unicorn_ , _holy crap)_ , approaching the Seelie Court of Avalon.

“Somebody pinch me,” she whispered, gazing up in wonder as the Court came into view. A number of great white trees towered over the rest of the forest, their trunks and branches weaving together in an organic lattice. White-violet pulses of pure magic flowed all along the trees’ boughs, up into the smallest branches, before disappearing into the centre of the Court. The leaves of the trees rustled and clinked in the gentle breeze, and Charlie realized with surprise that they were forged of gold and silver. She was once again reminded of Tolkien, this time of Lothlórien.

Gilda chuckled, and it was only then that Charlie realized they had stopped moving. Gilda had already dismounted, gazing up at her in delight. Charlie was pretty sure her eyes were about to pop out of her head. Gilda held her hand out, helping her dismount from the unicorn. She reached up and gently pushed Charlie’s dropped jaw shut.

“I love how you view the world with wonder,” she said, holding her elbow out for Charlie to take. Charlie grinned sheepishly, taking the offered arm.

“It’s not every day you see something straight out of Middle Earth.” Gilda grinned back at her as the two of them walked arm-in-arm into the court.

“Where do you think he got the idea from?”

“I _knew_ it!”

Charlie was awed once again as they entered the ballroom. The lattice of trees formed a dome over the room, creating dappled patches of sunlight on the ground. The golden leaves shone down onto the room, and delicate golden lanterns filled with fireflies dotted the walls. The dance floor wasn’t a floor, but was rather a lawn of thick, soft grass. Two elegant thrones of thin braided gold and bronze sat at the head of the ballroom, set with citrine crystals.

More than the beauty of the room were the other guests in attendance. The room was filled with faeries, dressing in fine silks and satins and velvets, in a myriad of light, bright shades, like a garden teeming with flowers. Gossamer wings sat on everyone’s backs, and antennae twitched and flicked as they conversed with one another. Everyone wore some kind of flowers, with four people at most sharing the same kind.

Charlie spun around several times, desperate to take in everything around her. She swore even if she never saw it again, she would never forget this place.

Two figures entered the room from the front of the ballroom. They walked at a measured pace, regal and resplendent, before stopping before the thrones and turning to face the crowd. The woman – Queen Titania – took a step forward, her face so beautiful and powerful it must have been carved from marble, her pale golden gown and lavender luna moth wings shimmering in the light.

“Beloved Seelie, noble lords and ladies of the court, and honored guests; we express our deepest gratitude for your attendance of the Golden Ball tonight. As the seasons turn to summer, our court reaches the height of its power, and we honor the sun and its light and glory.”

King Oberon stepped up to join his wife, taking her hand in his. He was almost as beautiful as her, and his robes of deep gold and pale blue dragonfly wings glittering alongside hers.

“Let the celebration…begin!”

Music poured from somewhere, and most people started partnering up to dance, while some slipped off to the side to wait for another song. Gilda turned to Charlie, offering her hand.

“May I have this dance?”

Charlie grinned at her, slapping her hand down on hers.

“You can have whatever you want from me tonight.” The two of them swept on to the dance floor, their skirts swirling around their legs as they joined in the celebration.

* * *

Many hours later, late at night, the Golden Ball drew to a close, and the partygoers trickled out of the Court and back to their homes. Charlie and Gilda walked arm-in-arm, Charlie leaning her head against Gilda’s shoulder. They were in no rush to get back as they slowly strolled through the cool night air.

Charlie was pretty sure she hadn’t danced this much in the rest of her life combined. She had struggled for a bit with some of the steps, too unlike the waltzes and two-steps she was familiar with, but she was a quick learner, and ended up joining in on more dances than she sat out. She was hesitant at first to dance with anyone other than Gilda, but at her encouragement – and desire to chat and catch up with some of the nobles – she eventually caved. Everyone who approached her was aware of the lilies of the valley she wore, knowing that she was spoken for.

That didn’t mean that some didn’t try; one particular faerie man was convinced that he could make her fall madly in love with him, and she had to duck away while he wasn’t looking. Another woman, dressed in bright azure with yellow hyacinths in her wild, dark hair asked her for several dances. She seemed fascinated with Charlie, her eyes bright with curiosity. Of course, each time she got too close, Gilda was right there, perfectly polite as she asked to cut in and whisk Charlie away from her.

Charlie also found it incredibly fascinating just to talk with everyone. She introduced herself as Pyrrha, Gilda’s consort (“Never tell them your real name, beloved, for they _will_ take it,”) and asked any and every question about Avalon she could think of. She learned so much, everything from how they used their magic, to regional cuisine – and got a recipe she just _had_ to try out of it – to the complex political system of the faerie realm.

The two women strolled around the gardens, arms wrapped carefully around one another. Charlie carried her shoes in her hands, and she was absurdly reminded of another story of a ball lasting until midnight, under the cover of gold and silver leaves. Charlie gently spun Gilda around until she faced her, then pulled her into a slow, passionate kiss.

When they broke apart, Gilda was blushing, a faint green painting her cheeks. She smiled at Charlie, pulling her back in for another kiss. Charlie smiled into the kiss, blissfully happy after such a magical night.

And, if they ended up making out in the royal rosebushes for a while, well. No one else needed to know.

**Author's Note:**

> Lots of notes for this one!  
> 1\. Lilies of the Valley symbolize happiness, sweetness, and luck.
> 
> 2\. The trees that make up the Seelie Court are inspired by several things: Lothlorien, Crystalsong Forest in World of Warcraft, the trees of gold and silver from The Twelve Dancing Princesses (which Charlie references later), and this tree: 
> 
> 3\. My facecasts for Oberon and Titania are Godfrey Gao and Lucy Liu, respectively.
> 
> 4\. The woman in azure is a reference to Ariel from The Librarians, another of my favourite shows. She's wearing yellow hyacinths, which symbolize jealousy.
> 
> 5\. Gilda blushes green because I headcanon that instead of hemoglobin, faeries' blood contains chlorophyll.


End file.
